Attention Microsoft: We Don’t need 6 versions of your product.  We need at most two versions that work very well.

We got 6 versions of Vista and that was a nightmare.  I really just want one version of Windows 7 and that should be the best version.  After all, you don’t want people to experience less than the best when running Microsoft Windows right?  I mean, you really want people to be loyal, love it and potentially respect it the morning after they get their copy from the torrents. Read the full story

Popularity: 9% [?]

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Every once in a while a big company comes out with someone so stupid that you just have to laugh (Take internet explorer for instance).  It spends big money to create and market a product.  It takes a lot of work to hype it up and get it enough exposure to become popular.  This is not that kind of product.

Songsmith reminds me of what great toys should look and feel like.  They should be open-ended, encourage exploration and creativity.  Great toys should also be a lot of fun and Songsmith is just that. Read the full story

Popularity: 7% [?]

Microsoft confirmed that there will be no updates to Windows 7 Beta until final release accoring to Steven Sinofsky, Windows Dev Chief, at Microsoft.

Sinofsky emphasized in his new post that Microsoft is not sharing any new ship date targets for Windows 7.  Microsoft will release a private beta to developers and hardware manufacturers a minimum of 10 minutes before they ship it to the general public.   The RC will be”Windows 7 as we intend to ship it,” Sinofsky blogged. More about the RC from his post:

“We will continue to listen to feedback and telemetry with the focus on addressing only the most critical issues that arise. We will be very clear in communicating any changes that have a visible impact on the product. This release allows the whole ecosystem to reach a known state together and make sure that we are all ready together for the Release to Manufacturing. Once we get to RC, the whole ecosystem is in “dress rehearsal” mode for the next steps.”

Microsoft refuses to comment on the release date saying that it will be before 2010.  Most insiders predict a fast track release and the internal pressure is mounting to get the Windows Vista that we all thought we bought out the door as quickly as possible.

The question is:  Will Microsoft’s strategy for fixing the ‘world worst software release’, Vista, be to rush Windows 7 out the door to soon also?

So far I have to say that the answer is, Windows 7 is ready right now.  There is not one thing I do in business or for my entertainment that is not working under Windows 7 Beta right now.  For me, it’s a complete environment and production ready.  Is it perfect?  No.  I’m no Microsoft fan boy.

My guess for a reasonable release date would be August/September.

The currently released beta expires in July right?  So with no further update planned, how big a gap would you leave if you were Microsoft?  I’m thinking that a release in the July time frame would be the final RC and that would take care of the beta expiration problems.

Popularity: 8% [?]

I saw last night that the new Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 Beta RC1 Download is online at Microsoft. It’s dated a 1/26/09 release.

Don’t bother to download it if you are trying the Microsoft Windows 7 Beta since it will not install.

Microsoft may have another version in the coming days or weeks, but at this moment, you will be stuck with the ‘Beta’ version and will not be able to run Microsoft’s Internet Explorer Beta 8 RC1 Read the full story

Popularity: 6% [?]

There are now three Antivirus / Anti-Spyware solutions approved by Microsoft for use with the Microsoft Windows 7 Beta 1 test program:

1. Avg 8 For Windows 7
2. Kaspersky 8 Windows 7 Beta Preview
3. Symantec Norton 360 v3 pre-release (beta)

After Hands on Testing Inlcuding Spyware and Virus Removal Here Are My Short Takes On Each:

AVG v8 for Windows 7 Beta and Windows Vista

This is the only one of the group that’s actually fully released.  I trust this solution because it was able to find and resolve a few things that other products didn’t.  It doesn’t feel like anything is running on your computer at all.  It never bothers you and it does it’s job very well without needing you to manage it.  It’s focused on protecting your PC and it does it very well. Read the full story

Popularity: 23% [?]

A while back I posted on testing the Windows 7 Beta 1 release to developers and how incredibly great it is.  Yes, It’s still much better than Microsoft’s Windows Vista SP2 Beta.

I got some good news from AVG on current owners of AVG Version 7. Many Current AVG 7 Anti-Virus and Internet Security customers will be able to upgrade for FREE to AVG 8 Anti-Virus including Microsoft Windows 7 Antivirus Compatibility. Read the full story

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After you install Windows 7 Beta 1, you may start to have some problems with your audio especially if you are on SoundMAX hardware.

I got it working after taking care of two minor problems - Read the full story

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If I worked in corporate IT (wait.. I do!) I’d never allow or support the Vista SP2 update.  I’d wait a couple months, certify Microsoft Windows 7 and be glad I skipped a step along the way.  From what I can see it’s a step worth skipping to create a step worth taking.  Windows 7 will lower your Microsoft Windows support burden significantly due to it’s wide hardware compatibility right out of the box and it’s really easy and advanced self diagnostics. Read the full story

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These are my notes as I installed Windows 7 on an older computer with an ASUS P5B motherboard and a Pentium D chip with 2gb Ram.

Consider it a travelogue or your guide to installing Windows 7.  It’s what I experienced, what you should expect and in follow on articles, solutions to problems that came up.

I booted from the shiny new Windows 7 Beta 1 DVD and tried to install. Due to problems with the current Windows Vista installation, the upgrade option repeatedly failed.   No specific clues or reasons were given. Read the full story

Popularity: 41% [?]

After installing Windows 7 Beta I was unable to find any Windows 7 approved partners on the microsoft solutions page.  Today they updated that page and advised that Kaspersky and AVG version 8 will both run on Windows 7 Beta.

I downloaded AVG 8 for Windows 7 Beta and installed it. Read the full story

Popularity: 37% [?]